Self-loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission



5 B R I T N I m B SELF LOADING MECHANISM FOR WIRE ROPE TRANSMISSION. No.432.191.

Patented July 15, 1890.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. MGINTIRE. SELF LOADING MECHANISM FOR WIRE ROPE TRANSMISSION.

No. 432,191. Patented July 15, 1890'.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

B McINTIRE SELF LOADING MECHANISM FOR WIRE ROPE TRANSMISSION. No.432.191.

Patented July 15,1890.

lliil (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

B. MoINTIRE. SELF LOADING MECHANISM FOR WIRE ROPE TRANSMISSION. No.432,191. Patented July 15, 1890.

(No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5. B. MGINTIRE. SELF LOADING MECHANISM FORWIRE ROPE TRANSMISSION. No. 432,191.

Patented July 15 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARTLETT MOINTIRE, OF SAN FRANCISCO,- CALIFORNIA.

SELF-LOADING MECHANISM FOR WIRE-ROPE TRANSMISSION..-

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,191, dated July 15,1890.

I Application filed January 27, 1890. Serial No. 338,277. (No model.)

To all whom it rncty concern:

Be it known that I, BARTLETT MCINTIRE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented an Improvement in Self -Loading Mechanisms for VVire-RopeTransmission; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the general class of mechanism included in thesystem of trans portation by means of wire rope, said system beingemployed commonly in mines, where the ore is placed in carrierssuspended by clips from a traveling cable or rope, whereby the carriersare transported to suitable points and distances.

My invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims,and the object of which is to provide for automatically loading thecarriers of the endless rope.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a front view of the arrangement of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section.Fig. 4 is a detail of construction. Fig. 5 shows a modification. carwith mechanism.

A is a hopperorbin to contain the ore, and from which it is taken to betransported. In the front of this hopper or bin are the grated doors a,having connected with their pivotal axis an arm a, from which issuspended a weight W, whereby the doors are held normally closed. Saiddoors are also provided with a second arm M, from which a rod a extendsdownwardly to a pivoted treadle a, upon one end of which the workmanplaces his foot, whereby the doors may be opened. A discharge-chute a isin direct communication with the doorway.

B is a car-track, which is practically a continuous one, here shown ofan elongated pattern. This track extends along in front of the hopperand below each of its doors, where it is level; but in other portions itis made with suitable inclines, whereby the cars upon it may run down bygravity toward one end, and after reaching the highest point, by meansFigs. 6 and 7 show the dumping hereinafter described, they may run downto the level portion again.

The track B, where it passes in front of the hopper, is intersected atpoints opposite each door of the hopper by rolling platforms 0, whichcarry one or two lines 0 of short tracks, which are adapted to bebrought into line with the main track, thereby continuing it.

D are the loading-cars. These are mounted and. adapted to travel uponthe track B, and when one car comes upon one of the rolling platformsand upon the tpack 0 thereof said platform can then be pushed inwardlytoward the hopper, whereby the car is carried under the discharge-chutea of the hopperdoor, while the other track 0 of said platform isbrought-into line with the main track B, thereby enabling a second carto pass over the first platform and onto the next one, whereupon it toocan be pushed in toward the hopper-chute, bringingits second line oftrack into line with the main track B and enabling a third car to passalong to the third platform, and so on throughout the series. From thelowest end of the track B said track extends on an upward grade on itsouter side, and between its rails is an endless drivechain E, which ismounted upon suitable end sprocket-pulleys, and derives a travelingmotion by means of suitable power-transmitting devices. (Representedgenerally by c.) This chain has extending upwardly from each link anengaging'pin e, and said chain (which may be termed asprocket-chain)follows the upward trend or grade of the track B. Pivotally mounted uponone of the canaxles is a swinging arm F, having at its rear end aguide-roller f and at its forward end a catch-bar f, which is securedthereto so as to move in one direction only, and said catch-bar extendsdownwardly within the path of the engaging-pins e of the sprocketchain.The roller f of the swinging arm travels upon a fixed guiderail G, sothat the arm is held in such a position that its catch-bar is depressedand is engaged by the sprocketchain, whereby the car is picked up at thelowest portion of the track B and is carried up the incline. The track Bat the head of the incline is made level again, as shown, and at thebeginning of this level portion the guiderail G terminates and issucceeded by a pivoted trip-bar the free end of which is held normallydepressed below the adjacent end of the rail G by means of aconnecting-link g and pivoted lever g below, the weight of which holdsthe trip-rail in this position. The consequence is that when the cararrives on the upper level portion of the track B its roller f, fallingoff the end of the rail G onto the depressed end of the trip-rail 9,thereby raises the catch-bar f at the other end of the arm F out ofengagement with the pins e of the drive or sprocket chain, so that theear remains stationary momentarily, and is held in this position by abrake bar or catch H, which is pivoted to the end of the trip-rail g,and is operated by its depression so as to throw up its hooked end infront of the wheel.

I is the traveling cable or rope of the transmission system. I have notdeemed it necessary herein to show the entire arrangement of this rope,it being understood that it is mounted suitably and directed throughouta definite course. Upon this rope is suspended a number of carriers, oneof which is represent-ed by J, suspended by a hangerj froma clip K,which is secured to the rope. The relative position of the parts is asshown in Fig. 3, where it will be seen that the carrier J is below thebottom of the car-body and just at one side thereof, so that when itcomes 3 alongside of said car the material from the car can be dumpedinto the carrier upon opening the gate of the car; but it is necessarythat this dumping shall take place while the carrier is still traveling,because the rope I is not stopped at any time, and consequently the carmust be again picked up and must travel along at the same speed as thecarrier. For this purpose the speed of the cable and the speed of thedrive-chain is made the same.

The mechanism for again engaging the car is automatic, and is asfollows: Connected with the lever g is a rod or link M, which extendsupwardly and is connected with a pivoted bell-crank lever m, the upperarm of which projects into the path of clip K of the carrier hanger. theupper arm of this lever it comes in contact with it and raises it,whereby, through the connecting-rod M, the lever g below is raised, andthrough its connecting rod orlink g the trip-rail g is raised, therebyacting, through contact with the roller f, to rock arm F and throw itsforward or catch end f down again into engagement with one of the pins 6of the drive-chain, and this same movement throws down the brake-catchH, thereby releasing the car. This takes place exactly when the carrierreaches the side of the car, and thereupon both car and carrier movealong at the same rate of speed.

The side of the car is provided with a hinged gated, which swingsoutwardly, but is held in place by means of a catch or bu t ton n at thebottom overlapping it, said catch or button being upon a rock-shaft N,from Now when the clip reaches the inner end of which extends downwardlya contact-arm m.

From the side of the main track B extends outwardly a fixed lug or armI), against which the arm n of the rock-shaft is adapted to come incontact as the car proceeds. This contact rocks the fastening-button n,so that the door of the car is released and swings open by the weight ofthe material behind it, thereby allowing the contents of the car to fallout into the adjacent and underlying carrier, which continues upon itsWay, while the car itself is carried by the drive-chain to the end ofthe elevated portion of the track 13, and thence descends by a suitablegrade in the track to the other and level side of it in front of thehopper again.

The general operation of the mechanism may be briefly stated to be asfollows The empty car coming upon the level portion of the track B onthe hopper side is run upon one of the tracks 0 of the first rollingplatform C, and by the operator is then pushed inwardly with saidplatform into such position that upon opening the door of the hopper bymeans of the treadle, as heretofore described, the ore will pass outinto the car. While this is being done a second car passing along thetrack B crosses the second rail 0 of the first platform and reaches thesecond plat form,with which it is moved inwardly toward the hopper toreceive its lead, while a third car passes by the second platform to thethird one and is pushed inwardly to receive its load, and so onthroughout the series. The first car being now loaded, its platform isdrawn back, so as to bring the line of short rails 0, upon which the carstands, into line with the track B,wh ereupon said car is pushed alongthe main track over the second and third platforms and to the downwardgrade of the track, so that it runs clear around by gravity to the otherend of the track. At this end it is immediately picked up by thesprocket-chain and carried up the grade to the elevated portion of thetrack above, where, being temporarily released,it awaits the arrival ofone of the carriers of the traveling rope: Upon this arrival the car isagain engaged'by the sprocket-chain and the carrier and car traveltogether, the ear discharging into the carrier, and being thence movedto the grade of the track at the end it is run down to the hopper sideagain. A second car is likewise in course of operation, and a thirdfollowing it, and so on.

I do not confine myself to receiving the ore from a fixed hopper or bin,as my mechanism, with but the slightest alteration, may be employed toloadthe cars from the carriers of one rope and to carry the load to thecarriers of a 2 the car into the carrier. That shown on the left takesthe place of the fixed hopper or bin heretofore described, and is shownas consisting of a superposed carrier P, the clip 1) of which is adaptedto come in contact with the bell-crank lever 19', corresponding to thebellcrank lever m, heretofore described, said lever being connected withand operating devices below substantially similar to those heretoforedescribed, and by which the car is thrown into engagement with the driveor sprocket chain, so that the car and carrier move for a short timetogether, the car receiving the contents of the carrier, the gate ofwhich is opened by the contact of an arm 11 of the carrier with a fixedlug or stop 19 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the inclined track13 and the traveling sprocket chain moving up the track-incline, incombination with the cars moving upon said track, each car having apivoted arm F, the catch f on one end of said arm adapted to engage thesprocketchain, the roller f on the other end of said arm, and the fixedguide-rail G, on which said roller bears, whereby the catch is held toits engagement with the sprocket-chain, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the inclined trackB and the traveling sprocket-chain moving up the incline, in combinationwith the cars traveling on the track, the swinging arms F, carried bythe cars and having a catch f at one end engaging the sprocket-chain anda roller at the other end, a fixed guide-rail G, on which said rollerrests, and a normally-depressed triprail 9 below the level of the top ofthe guiderail, whereby when the roller reaches the top of the guide-railit drops off and down onto the trip-rail, thereby removing its catchfrom the sprocket-chain and stopping the car, substantially as hereindescribed.

3. .In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the track 13, thetraveling sprocket-chain, and the swinging trip-rail g, in combinationwith the car on the track, the swinging arm F, carried by the car, thecatch f at one end of the arm adapted to engage the sprocket-chain, theroller f at the other end of the arm and resting on the trip-rail, and ameans for raising said trip-rail to swing the arm and re-engage itscatch with the sprocket-chain, substantially as herein described.

4. In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the combination ofthe car, the suspended carrier adapted to be brought into juxtapositionwith the car, whereby the load may be delivered from one to another, adrive-chain for advancing the carrier, a triprail, a bell-crank lever m,actuated by the carrier, connections between said lever and trip-rail,the swinging arm on the car, and a fixed contact and mechanism operatedthereby to open the car or carrier to deliver the load from one to theother, substantially as herein. described.

5. In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the track B andthe traveling sprocket-chain, the car on the track, the swinging arm Fof the car having the catch f on one end engaging the sprocket-chain,and the roller f on the other end, and the swinging trip-rail g, adaptedto come in contact with and raise the roller, whereby the catch isbrought down into engagement with the sprocket-chain, in combinationwith the transmission-rope I, the carrier J, the hanger j of thecarrier, and the clip K of the hanger, the bell-crank lever m, withwhich the clip is adapted to come in contact, and connections betweensaid lever and the trip-rail, whereby the latter is raised to effect theengagement of the car with the chain and the simulta neous travel of thecar and the carrier of the rope, substantially as herein described.

(5. In a loading mechanism for wire-rope transmission, the combinationof the track B,

the traveling sprocket-chain, the car on the track, the arm F, carriedby the car, having a catch on one end and a roller on the other, theswinging trip-rail g, bearing under the roller, and the brake hook orbar II, connected with the trip-rail, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BARTLETT MCINTIRE.

Witnesses:

S. H. Nonnsn, H. 0. LEE.

